CappuccinoandArtJournal

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Sunday, April 3, 2016

Mountains of Collage Materials

You can never have too much paper ephemera for collage

That being said, you know where I stand. So, of course I had to go to the Library Big Book sale not once, but twice, again this year.I had my coffee this morning surrounded by birthday presents and old books. Not a bad start to the day.

People here in SF are big for standing in lines.I see people in lines all the time but I'm not one of those people. That is, until the book sale rolls around.

And, if you've got to stand in line, Fort Mason Center is a good place to do it.

I seem to head directly to the foreign language sections. There is just something about book in other languages that I love.....I saw Japanese, Chinese, Greek, Italian, Greek, Russia, Spanish, French, Arabic......and I may have gotten quite a few of them. They often have charming drawings inside -- the older the books, the better.

Photo: Monica LeeI bought these amazing dictionaries for $1 each. Good thing they weren't selling books by the pound.

The HaulNot all mine...don't get too excited.....(but actually I went twice so I did get too carts filled with books).

Here we are -- me and Monica Lee -- my pal the Artful ReCrafter. And if you click on her blog, you'll see her photos and version of our trips to the sale.The Artful ReCrafter

I am now back at home and overcome with all the ephemera I have for collage. I have enough to last the rest of my life....I am so excited to get started making things that I don't know where to start....

I always look for bird books.....

And I seriously scored on old yearbooks this year.....I love to read all the comments...

How could I possibly resist?

I got these because I loved the colors/covers. I am going to tear off the covers and backs and make altered books from these....

View from the cartToday was DOLLAR DAY. Be still my heart. There is always still a lot of good stuff on the last day. Monica and I went to the member's preview first trip and back today for the last day -- and I made a whirlwind driving trip to LA in between the two. I am seriously behind on everything in my life at the moment.

And now, it's all over till the next sale...but I am pretty sure I have enough ephemera and ideas to keep me busy until then.I'll show you what I make. And -- what would YOU make with some of these books?Maybe you'll think of some things that I wouldn't think of....

SEND GOOD MAIL -- MAKE GOOD MAILOh! And, by the way -- here is a good linkWhat IS Mail Art??

29 comments:

Oh wow! I do look forward to seeing your posts about this fab book sale! You always have such fantastic things! I really love the handwriting calligraphy book page picture. Too cute! Your yearbook finds are always a treat too. The only thing missing from your post? I didn't get to check out your yummy lunch!!!! That is the best ending to your great posts!

The two English books are pretty cool. I think using their covers is a great idea for new up-cycled journals. I can't wait to see more projects with your new goodies & finds!

Thank you, Linda -- oh yes -- I forgot lunch! I will be sure to put some lunch photos soon. I am so glad you enjoyed the post.I really do love that book sale.....and I will be sure to post some of the things I make with the books too.....

We had a blast, Michele (even though we want all the same books!). The yearbooks were $1 each and when see them in "antique" shops they are usually $18-$20 so I was happy...And thank you for the wonderful birthday mail -- no, I didn't have the Chinatown folding postcard book andI loved the birthday page for my altered book...thank you!

Wow Pamela, I haven't even emptied the trunk with my books from the sale and you have already posted a Blog about it!! I love the pen imagery and yes we had a grand time. I am looking at my finds now and enjoying them. LOVE seeing your finds as of course we are too busy when we are shopping to look at each others treasures. Thanks for the ticket! Let's go to the recycling center next...

Timdani - my husband is a musician and it seems every times I buy cool old musical scores to cut up he wants to add them to his collection - lol. This time I hid my Verdi score. I love the kids music books too...but then i love all the old old books. Trust me, they are fabulous for collage and mail art.

Such a fabulous book sale! I would love to see some of the collages you create with the books you bought. I know this sounds odd, but I just can't bring myself to cut up the pages of old books, even though I know the images are perfect for mail art. The other day I bought some old sheet music at an antique store and I couldn't bear to mess it up. So I just bought a piece of patterned paper that looked like old sheet music at Michael's and cut that up instead!

Michele -- I know what you mean, but I have soooo many old books i have to use them and they are living on in pieces of art. I don't cut them all up but I do use a lot of them in art and altered books. I am giving them new life! ( a lot of them are really falling apart....)

I thought so too! But I would still like to go to the Flea Market in Japan with you! I love those ancient dictionaries -- I got huge English, FrenchChinese and Japanese ones.....and the English and French ones have wonderful drawings inside too........

Ha Ha that GIGANTIC boom is an old dictionary -- $1!!!! - and has great drawings inside too. My pal Monica says to try gelli printing on some of those huge pages....I could hardly pick the thing up and don't tell anyone but I already had one at home.....but who could resist. And.....ahem....since I went two days I did fill two carts.....

Oh Pamela, I am SO jealous. We don't get book sales here, except once a year and at one library only. Most books start at $5.00 and go up from there. It's their big "money maker." I'd give anything to have similar books and dictionaries like what you found. VERY impressive.

Elizabeth -- I just wish I could give you a couple of them but no way can I mail these huge things.....I get dictionaries and atlases on Dollar day. It is a big money maker for our library too but we are lucky enough to have two huge sales a year five days each.....plus weekly $1 sales at the main branch......heaven. I wish i could share with you.

What a wonderful book sale. Our library sale isn't nearly as fabulous. You got some wonderful things for collage. I'm prepping for a workshop tomorrow, for 8th graders! A new crop of collage Mail Artists to be prepared. I'm hoping a few of them will take to it, in any case.

Mim -- it is indeed! And I think I have enough collage materials to last two lifetimes. I et you will inspire some 8th graders -- I loved mail even when I was a young kid and always had pen pals. Good luck inspiring them.

Delish! (But those enormous dictionaries...oh my!) There are book sales at two of our local libraries this weekend. I vowed not to go to them anymore because of how much paper I already have in my stash, but now that I'm blogging again, I can justify heading back there for more project fodder...right??! (We never have cool stuff like yearbooks, though!)